Doña Ana County hopes to clarify where spaceport tax money will go

LAS CRUCES —The Doña Ana County Commission today will talk about plans for the educational dollars that will come from a spaceport sales tax that has been in effect since the start of the year.

Some commissioners have asked for the meeting to clarify how the county will distribute funds from the 1/4 of 1 percent tax, part of which was dedicated to improving spaceport-related education. County Manager Brian Haines has said a measure approved by the county commission before voters OK'd the spaceport tax in April 2007 spelled out that funding would go to the area's school districts, based on their populations.

Twenty-five percent of spaceport tax revenue will go to education, while another 75 percent will be directed to spaceport construction.

The tax added a 25-cent charge to a $100 purchase throughout the county.

The meeting is a work session only, which means commissioners can't take action. The session starts at 10 a.m. at the Doña Ana County Government Center, 845 N. Motel Blvd.

Spaceport America is a launch site for commercial space vehicles that's being built in southern Sierra County.